Turbine recouperator
OwnerEnrique J. Enriquezinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbine recouperator includes an air flow path having an air inlet upstream of a combustor chamber of a turbine. An outlet of the air flow path delivers air into the combustor chamber. At least a portion of the air flow path is disposed relative to the combustor chamber such that heat is transferred from the combustor chamber to at least a portion of the air flow path to preheat the air before entering the combustor chamber. Heat may be transferred to the air flow path through the wall defining the air flow path, as well as through projections extending into the air flow path.
Claims18
A turbine recuperator, comprising:
- a recuperator air flow path having an air inlet at a first end thereof upstream of a combustor chamber of a turbine, and an air outlet at a second end for delivering air into the combustor chamber, wherein at least a portion of the recuperator air flow path is disposed relative to the combustor chamber such that heat is transferred directly from the combustor chamber to at least a portion of the recuperator air flow path to pre-heat the air before entering the combustor chamber, wherein the recuperator air flow path does not interfere with an exhaust flow from the combustor chamber such that the exhaust flow is unimpeded through an exhaust outlet of the turbine.
A turbine recuperator, comprising:
- an air flow path formed by a wall at an air intake end of a combustor chamber of a turbine, the air flow path being tortuous and having an air inlet at a first end thereof upstream of the combustor chamber, and an outlet at a second end for delivering air into the combustor chamber, where in the wall that forms the air flow path includes a plurality of projections extending into the air flow path configured as a lattice work of heat conductive material in the air flow path, and wherein at least a portion of the wall that forms the air flow path is disposed relative to the combustor chamber such that heat is conductively transferred directly from the combustor chamber through the wall and to at least a portion of the air flow path.
A turbine recuperator, comprising:
- a combustor chamber of a turbine having a wall defining an air intake air flow path, the air flow path having a serpentine configuration with an air inlet at a first end thereof upstream of the combustor chamber, and an air outlet at a second end for delivering air into the combustor chamber;
- and
- a plurality of projections extending from the wall configured as a lattice work of conductive materials in the air flow path;
- wherein heat is conductively transferred directly from the combustor chamber through the wall and the lattice work of conductive material to at least a portion of the air flow path to pre-heat the air before entering the combustor chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.